Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines.



W.'E. WRIGHT. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I3, I909.

. Patented Apr. 20, 1915;

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. EgWRIGHT.

FEEDlNG MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

7 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1909. 1,136,749. Patented p 20, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Snucnroz wahmm 47 %1/A i 7 W. E. WRIGHT. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1909.

1,136,749. Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET a.

I '1 Illv Witnmna W.

W. E. WRIGHT.-

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1909.

1,136,749 Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

4 SHEET SSHEET 4.

v Snuenfoz 2/vihmooeo 7 W 1 UNITED STATES PATENT rr o.

WARD E. WRIGHT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE 7 COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 1915.

Application filed February 13, 1909. Serial No. 477,758.

for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the'letters and figures of reference marked thereon. The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewing machines, and more especiallyto the feeding mechanism of a sewing machine.

The invention isaherein shown as especially adapted to sewing machines of the,

' character which operate to full or gather a ing operation. By my im the knit fabric may be ed slightly faster noted.

piece of fabric prior to stitching the same, or full or gather one piece of fabric relative to another and secure the same together.

When placing a binding strip or the like upon a knittedfabric, and more especially when binding across the wales of the knitted fabric, said knitted fabric is very apt to become stretched or distorted in the stitchroved mechanism,

than the binding strip ornon-elastic fabric, and thus overcome the tendency of the knitted fabric to stretch, so that the two pieces of fabric will be evenly and smoothly stitched together. It is sometimes desirable when stitching one piece of fabric toanother of the above character, to cause the fulling action of the feeding'mechanism to cease, as for example, when crossing stay strips or the like.

The present invention contemplates providing an auxiliary feeding mechanism which is normally inactive or ineffective, and which may, without stopping themachine, be thrown into operation so as to operate upon the fabric to. perform .a falling or gathering action of the character above The invention consists in the parts, arrangements, and improvements hereinafter shown and described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, which show one embodiment of the invention, by way of illustration,Figure l-is an end view of a sewing machine embodying my improvements, with the work support shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the forward description.

end of the machine, with the work support removed, showing the main and auxiliary feeding mechanisms, and also the presser foot, the presser bar being sectioned; Fig. 3 1s a detail view, partly in section, showing the feedoperating mechanisms in side view, with the auxiliary feed in ineffective operating position; Fig. 4 is a similar View, showing the auxiliary feed dog in effective operating position; Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing the auxiliary feed operating mechanisms with the auxiliary feed dog in ineffective operating position; Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5, showing the auxiliary feed dog in effective operating position; Fig. 7 is a detail View, showing a binding strip being attached to the body fabric, and the position of the auxiliary feed dog relative to the presser foot and binder; Fig. 8 is a detail view, showing the bracket for guiding the movements of the auxiliary feed bar; Fig; 9 is a detail from the rear of the machine,

showing the auxiliary feed-dog-controlling mechanism. q

The needle 1 is carried by the needle bar 2, which reciprocates in the needle head in the usual manner.

Cooperating with the needle 1 is a looper 3, which, as herein shown, is a thread-carrying looper pivotally supported on the looper support 4, which is oscillated by means .of an arm 5, to give the looper its needleavoiding movements. The looper is oscillated into and out of the needle loop by a suitable link'6. The above parts are of the usual construction, and will not need further The presser bar? carries a presser foot 8 at its lower end, which, as hereinshown, is made in two parts9 and 10. The part 10 is rigidly carried by the presser bar, while the part 9 is mounted so as to yield independently of the main part 10. The main feed dog 11 is carried by a feed bar' 12, which rests on an eccentric 13, carried by the main shaft 14. Said feed bar 12 is provided with a bracket arm 15, which engages the under side of the eccentric, so that as the eccentric 13 is rotated, the feed bar 12 I will be positively raised and lowered to'bring the feed dog into contact with the 'material. The feed bar 12 at its rear end, has spaced arms 16, 17, which straddle'a bar 18, carried at the upper end of a rocking frame 19.

The spaced arms 16 and 17 are so disposed that the feed .bar 12'm'ay slide back and forth on the bar 18, but receive no movement whatever from the bar 18. The rocking frame 19 is connected by the usual arm 20 with a second link 21, which in turn'is pivoted to a crank arm 22, carried by theslotted disk 23 mounted .on the forward end of the shaft 14. As the main shaft rotates, the rocking frame 19 will, therefore, be

oscillated back and forth. Said rocking frame 19 carries alaterally extending bracket or arm 24, which is provided with a segmental slot 25.

The feed bar 12 carriesa Stud 26', to which is pivoted a link 27. Said link at its other end is connected to a stud 28, which is adjustably mounted in the segmental slot 25 of the bracket 24. As the rocking frame 19 moves back and forth, the link 27 will impart to the feed bar 12, a reciprocating movement which gives to the feed dog its feeding movement. By adjusting the stud 28 in the segmental slot 25, the stroke of the main feed dog may be varied.

The auxiliary feed dog 29 is located above the work support, and engages the material entirely at one side of the needle, as shown in Fig. 7. Said auxiliary feed dogis also located so as to engage the material in ad- 30 vance of the needle, so that the material or fabric will be fed up to the stitching point.

The auxiliary feed dog is formed on the end of an arm 30, which in the rear of the needle extends laterally across the line of feed, and thence downwardly, where it is connected to the auxiliary feed; bar 31, (see Figs. 5 and 6). Said arm 30 is secured to the auxiliary feed bar by means of a; screw 32, and an adjustable stop screw 33 serves to position the auxiliary feed dog relative to the auxiliary feed bar. 7 l

The auxiliary feed bar as herein shown, rests at its forward end on an eccentric 34, mounted on the main shaft 14. The auxiliary feed bar also carries a spring arin35, which extends underneath the main shaft 14, and carries a bearing plate cotiperating with the eccentric 34. It will thus be seen that the auxiliary feed bar will be positively raised and lowered by means of the eccentric 34, although if desired said auxiliary feed bar may be raised off from the eccentric, as the spring arm 15 will yield to allow such movement. ,The auxiliary feed bar atits rear end is pivoted at 36 to a rock lever 37, which in turn is pivotally supported at 38 bythe rocking frame 19. The rock lever 37 is pivotally connected to a link- 39, which at its other end engages a short arm' 40 of a rock shaft 41, which is pivotally supported by the fulcrum pin of the rocking frame 19. The arm 42 of the rock shaft 41 1s rovided with aneye 43. -A chain or a r0 orany other suitable connection may be attached to the eye 43 at one end, and at its other end to a treadle, whereby the rock shaft 41 may be readily swung about its axis whenever desired by the operator. Instead of connecting,the arm 42 to a treadle, said arm may be connected to a knee shift, or any other suitable operating mechanism.

A spring 44 engages the under face of the arm 42, and normally holds said arm in raised position. A stop screw 45 passing through the arm 42, limits the upward movement of said arm. When the arm .42 is in raised position, the link 39 will throw upward the outer end of the rock lever 37 which, swinging about the pivot 38, will throw downward the pivotal connection 36 between the rock. lever 37 and the auxiliary feed bar 31. This. downwardmovement of the auxiliary feed bar swings the auxiliary feed bar about the supporting'eccentric 34 as an axis, and lifts the auxiliary feed dog 5 off from the fabric, so thatthe reciprocating movements and the up and down movements of the auxiliary'feed dog do not cause the feed dog to engage the fabric, and, therefore,-said feed dog is ineffective. If, however, the arm 42 be thrown downward, as shown in Fig. 6, the rock lever 37 would be oscillated in the opposite direction, lifting the pivotal connection 36 between the rock lever and auxiliary feed bar, which will swing the auxiliary feed dog into position, so as to contact with the fabric or material,

and thus become effective in the feeding operation, I

It will readily be seen that the auxiliary feed bar may be shifted from effective to ineffective position, during the operation of the machine. It will also be seen that the spring 44 normally-holds the auxiliary feed -dog out of contact with the material, and when an operator desiresto secure the function of the auxiliary feed dog, the lever 42 is depressed. As soon as the lever is released, the spring w-ill cause the same to at once return to the position shown in Fig. 5, 11 thus rendering the auxiliary feed dog ineffective.

To steady the'auxiliary feed dog, 'I have provided'a bracket 46, which is secured to the auxiliary feed bar by a suitable screw. Saidbracket carries a laterally projecting member 47 ,which has spaced arms 48, 48, between which the main feed bar reciprocates. The rock lever-37 has an extended sleeve 48*,and the'lnain, feed barreciprocates in a space between the end of the sleeve 48. and the collar 49, forming a part of the rocking frame 19.

' Inasmuch as the auxiliary feed bar is pivoted directly to the rocklever 37, which in turn is supported by the rocking frame 19,

it will be seen that the auxiliary feed bar will be reciprocated back and forth by the movements of the rocking frame 19, and that the extent of movement of th e auxiliary 1 1 meme feed dog will depend upon the extent of oscillation of the pivotal support 38 for the rock lever 37. I

Inasmuch as the pivotal support 38 is a greater distance from the axis ofthe rock-- ingr frame 19 than the pivotal connection between the link 27 and the bracket 34, the auxiliary feed dog will be given a greater movement than the main feed dog. When it is desired to adjust the extent of move-' ment of the auxiliary feed dog, the crank pin 22 is shifted in the slot in the crank disk 23, so as to increase the oscillation of the rocking frame 19. The extent of movement of the main feed dog may be independently adjusted by varying the position of'the stud 28 in the segmental slot 25.

The main feed dog 11 is provided with a forwardly projecting smooth portion 50,

which is located directly underneath the teeth of the auxiliary feed bar when said auxiliary feed bar is in effective position, and said smooth portion of the main feed dog will assist the auxiliary feed dog in clamping the fabric to move the same, al-

though said smooth portion will in no way retard a faster movement of the fabric at the point engaged by the auxiliary feed dog, than at the point engaged by the main feed Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

, 1. The combination of a work support,

' stitch forming mechanism and feeding mechanism, said feeding mechanism including a main feeding member and an auxiliary feeding member, means for moving said auxiliaryJfeeding member back and forth to feed the material and up and down out of and into engagement with the material, said auxiliary feeding member having a differential movement relative to the main feeding member, means for normally holding said auxiliary feeding member out of effective engagement with the fabric, and means whereby the auxiliary feeding member may be moved into effective engagement with,

the fabric, without stopping the stitch forming mechanism.

2. The combination of a work support, stitch-forming mechanism and feeding mechanism including an auxiliary feed bar located beneath the work support, an auxiliary feed dog rigidly carried thereby, means for moving the auxiliary feed bar back and forth and up and down, and means whereby said auxiliary feed dog may be moved out of operative engagement with the fabric without stopping the feeding action of the main feeding mechanism and without stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

3. The combination of a work support, stitch-forming mechanism and feeding mechanism, including a main feeding member, an

for moving said auxiliary feed dog into effective engagement with the fabric, with- I out stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

4. The combination of a work support, stitch-forming mechanism and feeding mechanism, including a main feeding member, an auxiliary feed bar located beneath the work support, an auxiliary feed dogrigidly carried by said auxiliary feed bar and extending above the work support, so as to engage the upper surface of the fabric, and means for moving said auxiliary feed dog into and out of operative engagement with the fabric without stopping the feeding action of the main feeding member and without stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

5. The combination of a work support, stitch-forming mechanism and a feeding mechanism, including an auxiliary feed bar,

an auxiliary feed dog rigidly carried by said feedbar, and means for swinging said auxiliary feed bar, so as jto render said auxiliary feed dog effective or. ineffective, without stopping the feeding action of the main feeding mechanism and without stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

6. The combination of a work support, stitch-forming mechanism and feeding mechism, including an auxiliary feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog rigidly carri d thereby and extending above the work support, so as to engage the upper surface of the fabric, and means for swinging said auxiliary feed bar so as to render said auxiliary feed dog effective or ineffective, without stopping the feeding action of the main feeding mechanism and without stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

7. The combination of a work support, stitch-forming mechanism and feeding mechanism, including an auxiliary feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog rigidly carried by said feed bar, means for normally swinging said auxiliary feed bar so that said auxiliary feed dog is ineffective, and means under the control of the operator for swinging said auxiliary feed bar so as to render said auxiliary feed dog eflective, without stopping the feeding action of the ma? :1 feeding mechanism and without stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

8. The combination of a main feed bar, a

rocking frame, means for slidingly connectbar, an auxiliary feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried hereby, and means for reciprocating said auxiliary feed bar from said rocldng frame. g a

9. The comb' ation of a main feed bar, a rocking frame, means for slidingly connecting one end of said main feed bar to said rocking frame, means for raising and lowerin the other end of said main feed bar, sai rocking frame having a laterally projecting bracket provided with a segmental slot, a link connecting said main feed bar with the slot in said bracket, an auxiliary feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried thereby, and means for reciprocating said auxiliary feed bar from said rocking frame.

10. The combination of a main feed bar,

a main feed dog carried thereby, a main shaft, an eccentric carried by said main shaft for raising and lowering said feed bar, a rocking frame, means for slidingly connecting said main feed bar to said eccentric andto said rocking frame, and means for reciprocating saidmain feed bar.

11.v The combination of a main feed bar, a main feed dog carried thereby, a' main shaft, an eccentric carried by said main shaft for raising and lowering said feed bar, a rocking frame, means for slidingly connecting said main feed bar to said eccentric and to said rocking frame, said rocking frame carrying a projecting bracket having a segmental slot therein, and a link for connecting the main feed bar to the segmental slot in said bracket.

12. The combination with a main feed bar,

a a feed dog carried thereby, means for supporting and reciprocating said main feed bar, an auxilia y feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried th eby, independent means for engaging and supporting said auxiliary feed bar, and means,for slidingly connecting the main feed bar and the auxiliary feed bar,

whereby said auxiliary feed bar may be moved longitudinally of the main feed bar,

' said last named means including devices to 'l' f ed bar auxi lary e prevent lateral movement of one feed bar relative to the other.

13. The combination with a main feed bar, a feed dog carried thereby, means for supporting and'reciprocating said main feed bar, an auxiliary feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried thereby, independentmeans for engaging and supporting said auxiliary feed bar, and a bracket carried b said auxiliary feedbar and having space which said-main feed bar reciprocates.

14. The-combination of a work support, a main feed bar, a feed dog carried thereby, a rockingframe, an auxiliary feed bar, means for connecting said auxiliary feed bar to said rockingjframe, a'feed dog carried by said means for slidingly connecting said main feed bar to the rocking arms between frame, means for reciprocatin said auxiliary feed bar from the rocking rame, and mdependent' means connecting the main feed bar to the rocking frame at a different point beneath the work support from the connection tothe auxiliary feed bar, whereby said feed bars are, given a differential movement relative to each other. 7

15. The combination of a work support and stitch-forming mechanism, of a feeding mechanism including a main feed, an auxiliary feed bar, a rocking frame, means for reciprocating said main feed bar from said rocking frame, means for giving said auxiliary feed bar a differential movement from said rocking frame, a feed dog carriedby 16. The combination of-a feed bar, means for reciprocating said feed bar, a feed dog carried by said feed bar, means for raising and lowering said feed bar, and means for swinging said feed bar, for rendering said feed dog effective or ineffective, including a rock lever, and a stop for limiting the movement of said rock lever.

17. The combination of an auxiliary feed bar, a feed dog carried thereby, a rock lever for rendering the movements of said auxiliary feed dog effective or ineffective, a spring operating upon said rock lever for holding 7 said auxiliary feed dog in ineffective position, a stop for limiting the movement of said rock lever, and means for rocking said lever to render the feed dog eifectiva 18. In a sewing machine, a feeding mechanism including a main feeding member, means for reciprocating said main feeding -member, an auxiliary feeding member cooperating with said main feeding member to feed the fabric, said mainfeeding member carrying a feed doghaving a serrated and a smooth portion, said auxiliary feeding member being disposed so as to engage the material directly above the smooth portion of said main feeding member, and means for moving the auxiliary feeding member faster than said main feeding member..

19. In a sewing machine, a feeding mechanism includinga main feeding-member,

means forreciprocating said main feeding member, an auxiliary feeding'member cooperating with said main feeding member to feed the fabric, said main feeding member carrying a feed dog having aserrated' and a smooth portion, said auxiliary feeding member being disposed so as toengage the material directly above the smooth portion ,of said main feedin member, and means' for moving the au iary feeding member faster than said main feeding member, .said

auxiliary feeding member and said smooth portion of the main feed dog being located in front of the serrated portion of said main feed dog. a

20. A sewing machine including a main feeding mechanism and an auxiliary feeding mechanism, said main feeding mechanism having a main feed dog provided with a serrated and a smooth portion, said auxiliary feeding mechanism having a feeding mem- 10 

